Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Geolocation Tracking, and Neuroimaging to Assess Effects of Tobacco Retail Exposure on Smoking Behavior: Protocol for the GeoSmoking Study.
Overview
22 affiliations
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States, 1 (215) 573-9901
- College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Wharton AI and Analytics Initiative, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- School of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
- School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
- Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, North Holland, The Netherlands
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of City and Regional Planning, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York City, NY, United States
- Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Wharton Marketing Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Wharton Operations, Information and Decisions Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Abstract
Background: Cigarettes are a global public health concern, as cigarette smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States and throughout most high-income countries. Exposure to tobacco retail has been linked to adverse smoking outcomes, but research using naturalistic and causal approaches to quantify these effects in the real world remains relatively sparse. To address these gaps, this study used geolocation tracking, ecological momentary assessment, and neuroimaging to assess smoking outcomes in daily life and conducted a randomized controlled trial focused on the effects of exposure to tobacco retail.
Objective: The GeoSmoking study aimed to evaluate (1) within-person associations between real-world tobacco retail exposure and cigarette craving and smoking, (2) causal effects of real-world tobacco retail exposure, and (3) neural cue reactivity as a mechanism for real-world tobacco retail effects. This paper describes the implemented protocol, including study status and flow reporting.
Methods: In a 2-week baseline period, the study collected reports of craving and smoking multiple times per day using ecological momentary assessment, in addition to other measures. Simultaneously, geolocation tracking was used to quantify tobacco retail exposure through the creation of a tobacco retail database across 3 US states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware). A 4-week intervention period followed, in which participants were randomly assigned to make a purchase at either a nontobacco retail store 5 days per week (nontobacco retail condition) or a tobacco retail store 5 days per week (tobacco retail condition), or follow their normal routines (control condition). An optional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session concluded the study. Individuals participated remotely, unless they opted into the fMRI session, which was completed at the University of Pennsylvania.
Results: The GeoSmoking study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Pennsylvania. Data collection started on May 25, 2022, and ended on June 10, 2024. In total, 310 participants were enrolled, 282 participants completed the baseline phase, 244 participants completed the intervention phase, and 24 participants completed the optional fMRI scan.
Conclusions: This study protocol was implemented successfully. Findings from planned analyses will quantify the strength of relationships between naturalistic exposure to tobacco retail, craving, smoking, and a range of other outcomes. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of health behaviors and outcomes, as well as policy.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Code
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Data
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Data Availability
Final research data, with all identity-related information deleted and in consultation with the relevant IRBs, will be made available to the scientific community for collaborative research with members of the study team, upon request. The data will be shared in spreadsheet format for all nonimaging data and in NIfTI (Neuroimaging Informatics Technology Initiative) format for fMRI data. Data will be shared upon request in consultation with relevant IRBs for further analysis, once the study’s primary results have been published. Qualified investigators who wish to access the study materials can complete a form on the project website [64], which describes the study and delineates the specifics of data use. The requests will be reviewed and approved by the investigators and by the relevant IRBs. To protect participant privacy, data that may be difficult to deidentify (including geolocation data) will be shared at an aggregate level, with restrictions as developed in consultation with the IRB at the University of Pennsylvania. The requested research data files will be accompanied by a description of variables and how they were collected. The study will also share protocols relevant to data collection procedures as needed, and in consultation with other interested researchers.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
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Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, pages, dates, 23 authors, 8 keywords, 9 MeSH terms, 2 funders, 59 references.
Cite
This paper
Cooper, N., Muzekari, B., Resnick, A., Paul, A. M., Torres-Grillo, O., Sayed, F., Beard, E., Cakar, M. E., Carreras-Tartak, J., Hao, S., Mattan, B., Andrews, M., Johnson, D., Benitez, C., Zhou, E., Scholz, C., Barnett, I., Fichman, M., Henriksen, L., . . . Falk, E. B. (2026). Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Geolocation Tracking, and Neuroimaging to Assess Effects of Tobacco Retail Exposure on Smoking Behavior: Protocol for the GeoSmoking Study. JMIR research protocols, 15, e89627. https://
BibTeX
@article{cooper2026using
author = {Cooper, Nicole and Muzekari, Benjamin and Resnick, Anthony and Paul, Alexandra M and Torres-Grillo, Omaya and Sayed, Farah and Beard, Elizabeth and Cakar, Melis E and Carreras-Tartak, Jose and Hao, Susan and Mattan, Bradley and Andrews, Mary and Johnson, Darin and Benitez, Christian and Zhou, Emily and Scholz, Christin and Barnett, Ian and Fichman, Michael and Henriksen, Lisa and Kirchner, Thomas R and Lydon-Staley, David M and Strasser, Andrew A and Falk, Emily B},
title = {{Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Geolocation Tracking, and Neuroimaging to Assess Effects of Tobacco Retail Exposure on Smoking Behavior: Protocol for the GeoSmoking Study}},
journal = {JMIR research protocols},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
volume = {15},
pages = {e89627},
publisher = {JMIR Publications Inc.},
issn = {1929-0748},
doi = {10.2196/
url = {https://
pmid = {42430566},
pmcid = {PMC13353911}
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
AU - Cooper, Nicole
AU - Muzekari, Benjamin
AU - Resnick, Anthony
AU - Paul, Alexandra M
AU - Torres-Grillo, Omaya
AU - Sayed, Farah
AU - Beard, Elizabeth
AU - Cakar, Melis E
AU - Carreras-Tartak, Jose
AU - Hao, Susan
AU - Mattan, Bradley
AU - Andrews, Mary
AU - Johnson, Darin
AU - Benitez, Christian
AU - Zhou, Emily
AU - Scholz, Christin
AU - Barnett, Ian
AU - Fichman, Michael
AU - Henriksen, Lisa
AU - Kirchner, Thomas R
AU - Lydon-Staley, David M
AU - Strasser, Andrew A
AU - Falk, Emily B
TI - Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Geolocation Tracking, and Neuroimaging to Assess Effects of Tobacco Retail Exposure on Smoking Behavior: Protocol for the GeoSmoking Study
T2 - JMIR research protocols
J2 - JMIR Res Protoc
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/
VL - 15
SP - e89627
SN - 1929-0748
PB - JMIR Publications Inc.
DO - 10.2196/
UR - https://
LA - en
ER -
CSL-JSON
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